Saiken
by Rosie1818
Summary: Years have passed since the war ended. For Gaara, life has been too simple. It's been full of politics and enough paperwork to drive a man mad. He craves a change in pace and company to end the isolation. However, he doesn't know that it is coming. The wild is full of many creatures and not all are friendly. Gaara will soon find himself in the middle of a new war between two titans


So, I've written this story before. I don't know how long I'm gonna keep updating it because this is just a nostalgia rush. Right now though, I miss it. Lol. So, here's to a rewrite that doesn't suck. I am gonna change it to make it a bit better. I'll probably write this and its sequel at the same time because I don't have any formal plans anymore. Will plagiarize some of my own ideas from Island of the Earth too tbh. I usually attempt to keep things within canon, but as this idea was years ago, this distorts it more than my other ideas.

* * *

Saiken

Chapter 1

"You always have a bad feeling," Kankuro said slugging back a drink.

"And when is it wrong?" Gaara asked back.

"Shikamaru is a great guy. Just give him a chance. He's got a big soul. You know Naruto thinks so."

Gaara looked at his brother. As much as he hated when his brother pulled in the Naruto card on him, he was right. Temari was in good hands with him. Temari had just moved out of Suna and to Konoha. The compound seemed rather empty without her around. That was taking a lot of getting used to. The Sand Siblings had always been close and the split didn't seem real to Gaara at the beginning.

"You just gotta learn how to live a little. Why don't we go out tonight. We can have a boys night out," Kankuro said putting his arm around Gaara.

Gaara didn't move. The touching was still a thing he was getting used to. He shook the frustration from his mind. "I can't, Kankuro. You know I can't be seen interacting with Suna's night life. That's not good for a Kage's reputation."

"Oh now you sound just like Ebizo."

"Never compare me to that fossil. That is one thing that I happen to agree with. I do not exactly have a knack for the lifestyle that you have."

"Yeah, yeah. You're lame. I get it, Gaara. Just offering you a chance to lighten up a bit."

"You have been saying that a lot lately. When I took the title of Kazekage, I didn't think that I would have this many doubts about myself. I never doubted when Temari was here. I'm missing her more than I'd like to admit."

"And when Temari was here, I wasn't having as much sex."

Gaara looked at his brother with a scowl.

"I don't think that came out the way I was intending," Kankuro protested waving his arms.

"Listen, I have to go back to the manor. I have to get some sleep for my therapy appointment. I'll see you later."

Gaara heard his brother say something but was already out the door and looking up at the stars. It was only for a moment, but it was all he needed. He thought of Naruto. Naruto believed in him. Naruto knew that he could be a fine Kage for Suna. He wasn't here though. He was in Konoha. He knew nothing of Suna's endeavors. It was a battle and a half to get the economy thriving again after the war. All the nations were coming together in each other's support at the beginning.

But in the years that followed the war, the status quo sat back in and it was every village for themselves again for the most part. Kakashi as Hokage was an easy enough change to get used to. He was easy to work worth and keep Suna and Konoha united. Gaara got back in the compound and quickly got into his bed trying to forget the doubts that he had.

Maybe Kankuro was right. Maybe he needed to loosen up. If he loosened up, he wouldn't be as stressed. That's what he always said and Kankuro was the least stressed person Gaara had ever seen since the war. Things were not going in the direction that he thought they should. He needed to do something to change it for his own sake. How long could he possibly keep up the conflict he set inside himself?

* * *

Ebizo came in as he did for every other appointment. The man had this way of looking like a dead man with the way Gaara could never tell if his eyes were open or closed. Gaara was early as he usually was. Ebizo was exactly on time. He wasn't early or late.

"And how long have we been waiting here, Lord Kazekage?" he asked.

"30 minutes," Gaara replied staring at him.

"Any reason why you are here early today?"

"I like to be early for all of my appointments for everything. It is my way of being on top of things."

"That is good for a Kage, young one. Your father would be proud of you, indeed. Now let's see."

Ebizo sat into the chair next to Gaara. The room was empty and quiet. In a few hours, a mess of people would be parading in all too happy to be discussing Suna politics with the Kazekage who they thought was too young for such matters. Gaara thought it was funny that they thought he was too young because he thought they were too old. This included Ebizo. They were all way too out of touch with how the post-war world worked.

"So, how is everything this week? Are we still having doubts?"

"Yes," Gaara answered. "It only gets worse."

"Why is that?" Ebizo asked.

"Sometimes, it's the monotony. Other times it's me thinking that I shouldn't think the job is monotonous. But I can't help it. My mind is a storm, Ebizo."

"Do you feel like you have the proper support?"

"No,"

"Why is that?"

"I live alone. Temari is gone. Kankuro is always out getting high or whatever he does. It's just me in the compound doing nothing all day and night except when I have duties to do."

"Maybe it is time that we found you a woman to marry."

"I don't want you arranged marriages. I have plenty of time for that," Gaara scolded. "That would not fix the nature of the given problem here."

"Which is what exactly?" Ebizo asked.

"My life is going nowhere right now. I'm told of the importance of what I do by everyone around me but I don't feel it. I feel nothing. I feel empty and I feel like my life is going nowhere. Should a Kage be feeling that way, Ebizo?"

"No, they should not. I always said you were brought in too young. You have not gotten to mature."

Gaara scolded. "What did you say?"

"I mean that you envy your brother's immature lifestyle. You haven't gotten to experience it yourself so you look at it as something you want to do."

"Ridiculous," Gaara said. This has nothing to do with anyone else, Ebizo. This has to do with me and the fact that I'm feeling unfulfilled right now."

"And when is the last time you felt fulfilled?"

Gaara thought about the question coming from Ebizo's mouth. He looked at the fan in the room that wasn't moving and back to Ebizo. "Honestly, the war. Everything was on the line. It was life and death and every day, I was on edge. Now, all that's done and it feels like I've peaked. I don't want to think that I've peaked because I feel like I haven't. All I have are bad vibes and bad thoughts that there's something out there. There's something we're not aware of and I want to ventue out into the world every day until I find it so I can rip its beating heart from it's chest an crush it!" He yelled pounding the table.

Ebizo didn't answer but looked down to Gaara's fist and back at his face. "You ever consider that you're overly paranoid? Right now, you're doing what you need to be doing by remaining here and being the face of reconstruction."

"But it's been years since the war. How long to we have to reconstruct? We won."

"We will reconstruct as long as we need to. I'm sorry you're not fulfilled. I suggest you keep that to yourself. You have enough duties to do that should give your existence some meaning."

"Well, sorry if I want more. I'm not the Kage I should be."

"Is that right? Do you want to quit?"

"No... I'll stay."

"Good, I'm glad. I'm glad we could talk about this. Now, I would prepare for the meeting if I were you, Lord Kazekage,"


End file.
